Home is Where the Wilt is
by TheBigChillQueen
Summary: Taking place after Wilt runs away from Jordan when he lost the basketball game to Foul Larry, the broken figment searches for a place to stay where he can be accepted for his mistakes. Foster's seemed like a great place, but will he find what he's looking for there and how will the residents take to him? This is AU and may have some Wilt/Frankie later on. I love the pairing, okay?
1. Chapter 1

**To my _Supernatural_ fanfic readers, for the past few months, I have been on a bit of a writer's block and still am. And this season isn't really helping me at all, it's that bad. I'm going to rewatch seasons 1-3 soon to see if I can get some inspiration from those seasons. I have been watching other shows such as _"The Zeta Project"_, _"Ben 10"_, _"Static Shock"_, and _"Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" _as well, so that has also been keeping me from writing anymore of my SPN stories. But don't worry! I HAVE NOT given up on them! I WILL finish them! :D**

**Now, for any new readers I get or anyone who also loves _"Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends"_, this story was inspired by my fave episode/special, "Good Wilt Hunting" and is about my fave character, Wilt x3**

** It is a bit of an alternate-universe story where Frankie, Eduardo, and Coco have been living at the house long before Wilt instead of the other way around :) I really hope you enjoy it! I'll try my best to write in the mannerism of the characters the best I can! **

** If you spot any mistakes, PLEASE let me know! I have two chapters of this written up so far and I'll write more as soon as I can! So please be patient!**

**Synopsis: Taking place after Wilt runs away from Jordan when he lost the basketball game to Foul Larry, the broken figment searches for a place to stay where he can be accepted for his mistakes. Foster's seemed like a great place, but will he find what he's looking for there and how will the residents take to him? This is AU and may have some Wilt/Frankie later on. I love the pairing, okay?**

**I'm giving this story a T rating for some material that may be not so kid-friendly in later chapters. And as much as I would LOVE to own Wilt, I don't, and I also don't own _Foster's _:P**

_**Foster's Home for Imaginary**_** Friends: Craig McCraken, Lauren Faust, and Cartoon Network**

* * *

_**Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends:**_

"**Home is Where the Wilt Is"**

Eight years. Eight miserable and excruciating years. That was how long it had been since he had ran away from the only home he knew and was born in. He had never figured something like this would happen to him. He was such a sweet, gentle, and helpful guy. He never said 'no' to anyone who asked him for help. So what did this 10 foot tall, stitched-up red Imaginary Friend with a wonky left eye and a stubby arm do to deserve all this pain?

Well, Wilt Michaels- his first name being a homage to one of the favorite basketball players of his creator- had simply ran away. He didn't really want to, no. Running away had been far from his mind. But he just couldn't face disappointment. He hated failing, especially to Jordan. And abandoned the poor boy? Wilt didn't really want to do that either, but had chickened out after believing that Jordan wouldn't love him anymore.

Wilt had been created to teach Jordan Michaels how to play basketball. The kid was remarkably short for his age and he stunk at playing his favorite sport. He had longed for someone who would not only teach him how to be a better ball player, but to also be his best friend. His big brother. His father. Jordan had never known his father, having been a baby when he passed on. But his mother had shown him pictures and had told him that he was a gentle soul, always caring for everyone and putting them ahead of himself. He had also had a habit of apologizing a lot and had the biggest smile anyone had ever seen. It was enough to turn a sour frown into a blissful grin, and it was very contagious.

Jordan had an older brother as well, but he wasn't all too kind to him. He was always being teased by his sibling for being so short and sucking badly at basketball. It got to the point where the neighborhood kids joined in. Jordan couldn't take it anymore. So he had sat down and thought hard. Jordan wished for a Friend who was really tall; taller than anyone in the neighborhood. He would also be lean and nimble, so he could out maneuver anyone on the court, but have enough muscle in him to show that he means business when he wants it to be known.

He would be red, his favorite color and the team color of his preferred basketball team. He would wear knee-high socks with blue and red trimming along with black and white high-tops and red-white-and-blue wristbands, just like him. And they would squeak, no matter what surface he was walking on! On his chest, there would be a number '1' on it, since Jordan had believed that he would be unbeatable.

Jordan's Friend would also have long, thin, flexible and stretchable arms so that he could easily perform great tricks and make baskets easier. His hands would have long, thin fingers that would end in suction-cup-like tips that would be used to grip a basketball without fumbling. And he would have eyes on stalks so that he would be able to see the basket over another player's head with ease. He would have his father's caring, protective, and apologetic personality. And finally, his smile. His smile would be just like his father's: bold, gleaming, and contagious.

Before he knew it, Jordan was learning the skills he needed from his new Imaginary Friend, whom he had dubbed Wilt. And the two were inseparable. It wasn't long before they had become the most undefeatable two-man basketball team in the entire neighborhood. They had been this way for nearly a year. But soon, jealousy started to rear its ugly head in the form of another Imaginary Friend, one who was just a foot taller than Wilt and had much more bulk on him. He had a basketball for a head and a mean personality.

Both he and his creator were also big cheats, literally knocking down anyone in their path. They had challenged Wilt and Jordan to a match to determine who the true kings of the sport were. Jordan and Wilt had accepted, not willing to back down from a challenge, figuring this would be another easy win. Boy, were they wrong.

Jordan had almost been killed during that game, had it not been for Wilt. The lanky Friend had shoved Jordan out from under Larry's descending bulk, just in time. But this selfless sacrifice had cost him permanent damage to his left eye and the amputation of his left arm, which was reduced to a little stub.

His recently acquired scars were a week old, and they continuously ached. The heavy, cold December rain he was trudging through wasn't doing him a lick of good. Wilt was hungry and cold, having no money to sustain his needs. He was forced to live off of scraps he found at the back of restaurants and bakeries. It wasn't healthy, but it kept him alive for another day. He was regretting running away. He really didn't want to leave Jordan to face defeat alone, but the lanky imaginary friend was too afraid of facing him after his failure. He wasn't sure when he would return to the town he came to know and love, but it wouldn't be anytime soon.

Wilt had been searching the streets for a new place to live for two weeks. His search provided no results. No one would take in a broken freak like him. He had been taking shelter in an alleyway until his old friend, Stats and his creator decided to take him in and provide him with a dry shelter, food, and water. Wilt had a condition though: As much as it pained him, Jordan was not to know where he was. Wilt stayed with them for half a year, but one morning, he left early without saying goodbye, afraid that he was being a burden and had overstayed his welcome.

The tall Friend had decided that he had to leave the neighborhood he came to know and love. It held too many memories for him, mostly good times with Jordan and the neighborhood kids and their imaginary friends. But the bad one of losing that stupid basketball game was the strongest of all. So he had left and traveled on through the city, dangerously nearing the bad neighborhood Jordan's mother had warned them about numerous of times and in which Wilt had taken it upon himself to protect Jordan from. He used to watch the news a lot, and the stories he'd heard and the pictures he'd seen had made him all the more protective towards his creator. He had wanted to make sure Jordan would never grow up to be like any of those horrible people. Too bad he wouldn't see to that anymore.

Wilt sighed, wincing at the phantom pain from his stub. He wished the pain would stop. It was reminding him too much of why he was like this in the first place. Wilt froze as he heard a metallic clang from nearby. Out of the corner of his eye, in a nearby ally, Wilt noticed that a tiny black kitten was struggling to reach the top of an overfilled trash can. Half of a fish lay rotting away on top of the heap. The kitten mewed pitifully. Wilt noticed that the kitten looked as horrible as he did, what with only a stub of a tail and a tiny, soaked furry body. He immediately felt bad for the poor creature and knew that he could empathize with it.

The squeaking of his oversized high-tops startled the tiny kitten, which crouched down, arched its back and hissed as Wilt approached it slowly, a long limb outstretched and a tiny smile on his face.

"I'm sorry! It's alright, little kitty. I'm here to help, if that's okay?"

The kitten watched warily with its huge emerald eyes as the gangly figure continued to reach out until his suction-cupped fingers grasped the tasty morsel it had been desperate to get for the past few minutes. The kitten growled, afraid that it was losing its prize that it worked so hard to try and get. But to its surprise, the figure just smiled even broader and set the fish down in front of it. The kitten stared at the fish in bewilderment then up into the one good eye of the figure in front of it

"See," the figure said in a deep, concerned voice. "I told you. Now you have something to eat. I wish I was that lucky." The figure's already crimson cheeks darkened a shade as his stomach gave a low rumble. He chuckled nervously.

"Hehe, sorry."

The kitten stood up, took the fish into its mouth and dragged it over to its new friend, dropping it front of his folded long legs, looking up into his eyes, mewing happily as it purred.

"Huh? You want to share?" Wilt was touched by the offering, but there was no way he would eat something rotten from a trash bin, no matter how hungry he was "I'm sorry, but that belongs to you. You need it more than I do. Go on." Wilt flashed the kitten a big smile again, to which it mewed in response and began to eat its meal.

Wilt watched until it ate its fill. He then decided it was time to go. As he stood up, he felt something furry rub against his ankle and looked down to find the kitten moving in between his legs, rubbing against them and purring even louder. Wilt chuckled and gently picked up the kitten, gently scratching its chin with one of his long fingers as he held it in the crook of his stubby arm.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take you home with me. I don't have one anymore." Wilt said, frowning at the thought. He then smiled once more as he got an idea. "But I think I know where you should go. You'll have more hopes than me to find a caring family and be loved."

Wilt then grabbed a large piece of cardboard, using it to shield the kitten from the downpour, not caring that he was getting even more soaked, turned around, and left the alley, heading down the darkened sidewalk towards the one place he knew would help the poor kitten.

An hour later, Wilt left the animal shelter, happy to know that the kitten- which had been given the name Hope by him once he had found out that it was a girl- would be cleaned and fed and taken well care of. The animal shelter was a fond memory of Wilt's. He and Jordan had used to come down here with their mother to look at all the new pets up for adoption. It was one of those visits that Jordan had been allowed to adopt one of them, picking out a fluffy grey ball of fur that was a 5 month old kitten. Wilt chuckled at the recollection of the hours the two of them had spent playing with little Kareem until either he or Jordan had fallen asleep. Wilt had always made sure that Kareem was always beside Jordan when he put him to bed. Wilt used to stay up and watch over them until he grew tired as well and slept underneath the bed, where he insisted that he was very comfortable. It had been better than sleeping on a much too short bed anyways.

The memory suddenly faded as reality settled. When Wilt had entered the shelter, everyone there immediately recognized him, showering him with pity and concern when they found out about his broken state. He had brushed off their worry, telling them that he was alright. He then bid them farewell, setting off on his journey for a place to stay.

***~*~*FHIF*~*~***

8 years of traveling and taking shelter in the homeless programs and other places he had found along the way, Wilt was in yet again in another city, a much safer one that was located across the country from the one he was created in. He had spent the night under an overpass before setting off again. It was summer once again, just entering July, and a torrent was falling down upon him once more. Wilt was getting real sick of rain since it had the tendency to place him into a deeper funk than the one he had been in for years. It had been forever since he smiled and he wasn't sure if he could remember how to anymore. Everyone he walked by merely gawked at him. Some had shown him pity while others were appalled. He couldn't blame them, really. He must have really looked affright, what with his towering from, wonky eye, and missing arm. It was his fault he was like this and he just chose to continue ignoring them as he strolled on. He had been passing by a window display of televisions when he finally heard what he was looking for. A commercial was currently on. Wilt would have just ignored it had he not heard what was being offered.

_"Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is a wonderful, funderful imagination, habitation," _a male voice with a heavy English accent spoke._ "We provide food, shelter, and a warm heart for imaginary friends looking for a place to call home! So if you know of, or have an imaginary friend that desperately needs a home, then come on down to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, where good ideas are not forgotten!"_

Wilt's good eye widened and his jaw was dropped in shock. That was it! He couldn't believe it! There was actually a home for thoughts like him! He didn't know such a place had even existed before now. He sent a silent thank you to the angel that was watching over him and immediately set off to find this safe haven.

***~*~*FHIF*~*~***

Wilt ogled in awe at the immense Victorian palace before him. Sure, he had seen the place on that TV that had given him his Heaven-sent answer, but seeing it up close and personal was just beyond comprehension. He gulped, taking a deep breath before he pushed open the large wrought iron gates that bore the house owner's name. The thoroughly drenched Imaginary friend then trudged up the long pathway and up the stairs, leaving behind a trail of muddy footprints from his still filthy shoes in his wake. Wilt had tried to wipe the majority of the mud off before, but the heavy rain that turned into a blinding sheet made that plan fail miserably. He'd be sure to clean up his mess if he was permitted to stay here. It was the least he could do for their hospitality.

Wilt rang the doorbell with a long, spindly finger and waited patiently for the door to open. After a while, though, it seemed as if his Heaven-sent gift turned out to be a fluke. He sighed dejectedly and turned around, his good eye closed in sadness. He was about to descend the stairs, back into the rain, when he heard the door creak open slightly and a small, female voice speaking to him.

"Hewwo? Are you looking for a place to stay?" Wilt turned back around, his eye immediately being drawn to the small 4-year old girl standing before him. She had fiery red hair done up in two spiky pigtails and large, bright green eyes. She wore a green hoodie that seemed a bit big on her tiny frame and a purple skirt over a plain white shirt. Her blue and white sneakers shuffled her towards him as she reached out and grasped one of his fingers in her tiny hand, making the tall figment smile a bit.

"Welcome to Foster's Home for Imaginawy Fwiends! My name is Fwankie Foster!" the girl beamed, grinning widely. Her speech was peppered with mispronunciations of the letter 'R' in most of her words, but she was young and probably just learned how to talk, or was still learning. Nonetheless, Wilt felt his heart patter at the cuteness and sweetness of the little girl.

"Hello, Frankie! Pleased to meet you! My name is Wilt. And, yes. I am looking for a place to stay, if that's okay?" Wilt felt himself smile even more as the girl giggled and began tugging him towards the door.

"Of course, silly! That's why we're here! Now, come on in! I'll show you around and where you'll be staying!"

Wilt felt his hopes rise. 8 years of an aimless search had rewarded him tremendously. It was time to start a new life, and this Foster's place seemed to be just the right place to begin.

* * *

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

******Synopsis: Taking place after Wilt runs away from Jordan when he lost the basketball game to Foul Larry, the broken figment searches for a place to stay where he can be accepted for his mistakes. Foster's seemed like a great place, but will he find what he's looking for there and how will the residents take to him? This is AU and may have some Wilt/Frankie later on. I love the pairing, okay?**

**For any new readers I get or anyone who also loves _"Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends"_, this story was inspired by my fave episode/special, "Good Wilt Hunting" and is about my fave character, Wilt x3**

**It is a bit of an alternate-universe story where Frankie, Eduardo, and Coco have been living at the house long before Wilt instead of the other way around :) I really hope you enjoy it! I'll try my best to write in the mannerism of the characters the best I can!**

**If you spot any mistakes, PLEASE let me know! I have two chapters of this written up so far and I'll write more as soon as I can! So please be patient!**

**And as much as I would LOVE to own Wilt, I don't, and I also don't own _Foster's _:P**

_**Foster's Home for Imaginary**_** Friends: Craig McCraken, Lauren Faust, and Cartoon Network**

* * *

_**Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends:**_

"**Home is Where the Wilt Is"**

"…And finally, this will be your room! Well, yours along with Eduardo and Coco." Frankie said as she showed Wilt the final bedroom on the tour of the enormous house. "Mostly every Fwiend here has a roommate or two. I hope you don't mind."

Wilt chuckled and patted Frankie's head generously. "It's fine. But, who are Eduardo and Coco? I believe it would be nice to know who I'm staying with so we can get along better."

At this, Frankie started jumping up and down excitedly. "Oh! You're wight! Don't worry! Eduardo is a really nice guy, even though he may look a big and 'rawr!' at first. And Coco, well, she's also really nice, but also really, really strange, which makes her even cooler!"

"Is that so?" Wilt said, amused by the little girl's enthusiasm. "Well, why don't you introduce them to me?"

"Okay! Come on!" Frankie had just grabbed hold of his hand when a 'thump thump thump' sound echoed through the hallway they stood in.

"Miss Francis! There you are, young lady!" Wilt recognized the British male's voice from the commercial about Foster's he had seen earlier.

"Oh no," Frankie groaned, her shoulders slumping as a scowl crossed her face. "Mr. Fuzz-butt is here."

"I'm sorry, but who is-" Wilt was cut off as he spotted a 6-foot, grey and white rabbit, who was wearing a black top-hat, monocle, a black tuxedo coat over a yellow vest and white gloves, hopping towards them, immediately heading for Frankie.

The rabbit stopped and crossed his arms, glaring down at the little girl with a disapproving look on his oval face, which was remarkable for a person- er, rabbit- who seemed to hop around with his eyes closed all the time to pull off.

"Miss Francis, this is the thirtieth time that I had to remind you about tidying up your sleeping quarters!"

"But, Mr. Hewwiman," Frankie began to protest. "I was about to when the doorbell rang. And one of the rules is that whoever is near the door when that happens is to answer it! We have a new Imaginary Fwiend wanting to stay here."

The rabbit sighed, placing a gloved hand over his eyes. "Miss Francis, I do not approve of your lying. I know that you were just delaying your duties, as _usual_, and-"

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt, but she's telling the truth." Wilt spoke up, feeling bad that Frankie was getting in trouble because of him.

It seemed that the rabbit Imaginary Friend had failed to acknowledge the towering figure next to Frankie. He quickly jumped and turned to face Wilt, tilting his head back to make eye contact and doffing his hat as he addressed him.

"My good sir, I am deeply sorry that I had failed to notice you there, which is quite preposterous given your alpine stature." He gave a small chuckle before clearing his throat. "My name is Mr. Herriman, and I am the Head of Business Affairs at this facility. Who might you be?" Mr. Herriman outstretched his hand to Wilt, who shook it in return.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name's Wilt, sir."

"Ah, Master Wilt! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I do hope you find Foster's delightful so far."

"Oh I do! And Frankie here has been quite the help! She's shown me around and I must say that I'm really impressed! I mean, if that's okay?"

"Master Wilt, there is no need to apologize for your splendid compliments," Mr. Herriman said, "I am honored that you find Foster's suitable to your liking. If you wish to take up residence, may I suggest paying a visit to Madame Foster? She is the one who has the final say in most of the important decisions around here. After all, she did establish this wonderful home three years prior."

Wilt was amazed by this. "Really? One woman started this whole business by herself?"

"She sure did!" Frankie chimed in. "She always has wonderful ideas! Well, almost always," she added with a quick glance at Mr. Herriman. The fact that Madame Foster was the creator of Mr. Herriman was news to Wilt. This place was full of surprises! He wondered what other wonders this place held.

"Now then," Mr. Herriman spoke, snapping Wilt from his thoughts. "I shall escort Miss Francis to her room where I shall supervise until she tidies it up. I will have someone else take over her tourguide position. They shall show you to Madame Foster's room. I also should get someone to clean up all the muddy footprints that have somehow been tracked in all through the house."

Wilt gulped and looked down at his still muddy shoes guiltily. He had meant to wash them as soon as he could, but had forgotten. But before he could voice that he would take care of it, Mr. Herriman pardoned himself, then grasped Frankie's wrist and pulled her away down the hall

"Ow! Mr. Hewwiman! That hurts!" Frankie squeaked before they rounded the corner.

Wilt watched them in bemused silence, shrugging it off before he entered his assigned sleeping quarters, shutting the door behind him. He had to duck so he wouldn't hit his head on the doorway. Once he was inside, he looked around. The room seemed to have a color scheme that varied in between shades of green and brown. The wallpaper was beige with many hues of brown vertical stripes. The floor was hardwood and seemed to have been waxed recently based on its lustrous glow. A single oriental rug decorated it. On the right-hand side of the door was a vanity area, and, for whatever reason, there were a pair of tire swings hanging from the ceiling.

On the other side of the door, in the corner, there was a green bird's nest with a name tag that read 'Coco' on the front of it. The nest had a hand-weaved appearance to it and was filled with Easter grass. An orange tin-roof with a lamp hung over the nest. Scattered around it were colorful plastic eggs, some of which had already been opened while others remained sealed closed. Wilt was curious as to what kind of Friend this Coco was.

Opposite the nest, set against the wall on one side of a large window, was a black metal framed bunk-bed with a matching ladder. Both beds had similar sheets and blankets, but the upper bed looked significantly bowed downwards, which made Wilt wonder who or what had been sleeping in it. His eye caught another name tag on the footboard of the bed. It read 'Eduardo'. Now Wilt wondered what kind of Friend Eduardo was.

He turned his attention back to the door as he heard heavy stomping approaching, accompanied by the pitter-patter of bare feet. The doorknob twisted and the door swung open to reveal two new faces. One of them was a huge, strong-looking, purple-furred monster Friend with wide-set eyes, a black unibrow, enormous sharp teeth, black claws, a black skull-buckled belt, and grey boot or pants.

The other friend was an odd sight. She had the head of a palm tree, the fronds making up her wild and crazy green hair, a red crooked beak, the body of a smashed up blue and white airplane, and orange bare feet. Her eyes were a bit unfocused and looked in opposite directions.

"Hola, mi amigo! Usted debe ser el nuevo amigo imaginario Senorita Frankie había mencionado. Es un verdadero placer encontrarme con ustedes! Mi nombre es Eduardo!" The purple Friend said in a very deep, gravelly voice. And since he couldn't speak Spanish, Wilt just looked dumbly at him.

"Um, hi? I'm Wilt." He turned his attention to the bird-airplane-plant Friend.

"Hi there!" Wilt smiled and waved at her. "What's your name?"

"Co-co!" the Friend answered.

"Coco. That's a nice name," Wilt said, relieved to have someone he could understand. Or so he thought.

"Co-co?" Coco repeated.

"Um, no thanks. I'm not thirsty. Thank you for offering, though."

"Co-co!"

"I'm sorry, but said I didn't want any coco." Wilt refused again, now starting to feel a bit frustrated and awkward.

"Co-co, co-co co Co-co!"

Wilt gritted his teeth. Well, so much for finding someone who spoke English. Coco didn't seem like she spoke any language to begin with.

The purple Friend laughed. "Lo siento, Señor Wilt, but for some reason, Coco can only say 'coco'. She said 'Hello, welcome to Foster's!'"

Wilt's eye widened. "You can speak English?" Wilt shook his head as another thing occurred to him. "Wait a minute. You can _understand_ her?"

"Sí, and sí! And as I had said before, my name es Eduardo. I am muy sorry for the misunderstanding. Sometimes I forget that some people can't speak Spanish." Eduardo shrugged apologetically.

Wilt chuckled. "It's okay. So, I guess we're roommates?"

"Coco!" the mixed Friend cried, suddenly sitting down. A plastic egg was produced a second later and she stood back up, nudging the egg towards Wilt, who was astounded by this remarkable ability. He picked the egg up, unsure of what to do.

"Um, thanks?"

"Co-co!" Coco smiled and resumed her position beside Eduardo.

"Open it up, silly," Eduardo grinned, revealing more of his menacing looking teeth. "There's a prize inside!"

Wilt did so and was flabbergasted when a basketball appeared inside such a small thing. "Whoa! How…"

Eduardo shrugged. "No one knows how she does it, but it's muy cool!"

"I'll say!" Wilt said with a laugh, taking the ball out of the egg and holding it with his good hand. He then stared at it in trepidation.

It had been so long since he even thought about playing basketball. He wasn't even sure that he could anymore. No, not could. Would. He tried so hard to forget his old life, and anything remotely related to basketball was enough to send him on a one-way guilt trip back down memory lane. Wilt was so lost in thought that when he snapped back to attention, he realized that Eduardo had been talking to him for quite some time.

"-You es muy alto and look very sporty, so Coco figured you must be a fantástico basketball player and thought you would like a new ball. We didn't see any suitcases around, so…"

"Uhh, I'm sorry! But I just realized that I, uhhh…have to go do something somewhere else!"

Wilt quickly dropped the ball and used his long legs to propel him from the room at significant speed, leaving Eduardo and Coco speechless and confused. forgetting that they were supposed to show their new roommate where Madame Foster was.

***~*~*FHIF*~*~***

Wilt had ran down into the foyer, stopping at the last step to catch his breath. He sat down on the step he was on and sighed heavily.

"I know they meant well, and they don't know, but I'm just not ready to pick up the game again anytime soon." Wilt closed his eye and hung his head, taking this alone time to try and gather his thoughts and calm himself down. _"Maybe living here wasn't the best of ideas. If they found out what I had done, they probably wouldn't like me. They would believe that I was a big, mean jerk, which I guess I kinda am. What kind of Friend would ditch his kid?"_

"Is something troubling you, dearie?" A sweet, elderly voice enquired, making Wilt jump. He looked down to see a plump, little old lady holding a plain black cane standing before him, gazing back through her thick black-framed round spectacles. She was smiling kindly at him, patiently waiting for him to reply.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," Wilt cried, standing up as if a bolt of lightning had struck him. He stretched his arm out towards the stairs in a polite gesture. "I didn't mean to block your path, Miss, or Mrs. I'm so sorry."

The elderly woman just chuckled merrily as she waved aside his apology. "No need to be worked up like a cat during a snowstorm, dear. It's quite alright. And you can just call me Madame Foster."

Something then occurred to Wilt. "Wait, you're Madame Foster?"

The woman gave him a sharp glare and jabbed her cane at him, her sweetness suddenly turning into scorn. "Why of course I am! Who else would I be?"

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! It's just th-that I was told by Mr. Herriman that I should talk to y-you." Wilt stammered, sweating with worry.

Madame Foster suddenly chortled and walked up to Wilt, patting his knee. "I'm just messing with you, dearie. Ol' Funny Bunny sent you to see me, huh? Okie dokie then, follow me."

Wilt breathed a sigh of relief and walked behind the woman as she made her way up the Grand Staircase at her leisurely granny pace. Wilt was patient and gentlemanly enough not to tell her to pick up the pace or walk past her.

Ten minutes later, they were settled in a little living area inside Madame Foster's bedroom. She poured Wilt some tea inside a little china teacup and handed it over to him on a matching saucer. He politely sipped some, finding it really tasty and having to hold back on gulping it all down at once.

"So, you're looking to take up room and board here?" Madame Foster said, sipping her own tea.

"Yes, ma'am! I mean, if that's okay?" Wilt added with a slight pink blush to his crimson cheeks.

Madame Foster giggled. "Oh, of course dearie! Foster's is always open to a Friend in need. And you surely look like you need a hot meal and a warm, soft bed."

"Yes ma'am. It's been awhile since I've had either. Frankie had shown me where I would be sleeping if I was allowed to stay here. She is adorable, might I add. I'm sorry to ask, but are you babysitting her for someone?"

"Good Heavens no, dearie. Frankie is my granddaughter. I had taken her in when she was a baby."

"Awww," Wilt said, his mind now imagining an even more adorable and younger Frankie.

"She is such a blessing to me. Something unfortunate had happened to her parents and if I wasn't around, she'd be at a human foster home."

"I'm so sorry to hear about that, Madame Foster," Wilt said sincerely, feeling bad that he had brought up such a tragic memory. He couldn't imagine how hard it was to lose someone like that. Sure he had lost Jordan, but not forever. There always was a slim chance that they would meet up with each other again someday. But Madame Foster and Frankie didn't have that privilege.

Madame Foster took another sip of her tea before she placed it down onto the saucer and then the table. She then folded her hands across her lap, gazing up into Wilt's good eye with a look that told Wilt that he was about to hear a lecture of some sort. He sat his teacup down and positioned himself to listen carefully.

"I appreciate your gratitude, Wilt, I really do. But what happened is all in the past. You can't allow something bad that occurred only once to forever hold you down. If you do, you will never be able to pull yourself forward in life. One mistake does not define who you are; you have to learn from them."

Madame Foster had no idea just how much her words had hit home to Wilt. He was on the verge of tears, holding them back the best he could.

"Whatever you did that made you run away from it doesn't matter, Wilt. You have to know that it was _not_ your fault. You seem like a gentle soul who wouldn't hurt a fly, so whoever it is you thought you had hurt, you didn't."

Now Wilt was perplexed. "How did you know that I believed I had hurt someone?"

"I heard you berating yourself earlier," Madame Foster replied with a wink. "You have to make sure to keep your inner thoughts in your head, otherwise they just become outies and are free to be heard by anybody."

Wilt smiled shyly and blushed. "Sorry. I'm grateful that you're trying to help me, Madame Foster, I really am, but I don't think that I deserve it."  
"Oh, fiddlesticks," Madame Foster's voice took on that scornful tone again. "Of course you do! Weren't you listening to me? Whatever caused you to abandon your kid cannot be entirely your fault. There has to be other factors, right?"

"Well, I guess," Wilt looked up at the ceiling in thought. "You see, my kid had created me to teach him to be the best basketball player in the neighborhood."  
"I thought I had sensed a bit of athletism in you."

"Heh, yeah. At first, things went well, until we were challenged by a jealous local boy and his bigger, stronger imaginary friend."

"And what happened next?" Madame Foster gently prodded.

"We lost."

"How did you lose?"

"I failed to block the winning shot."

"And why did you fail? Someone created to play the sport he was made for shouldn't fail at something so simple and easy such as that."

Wilt thought back, his mind recalling him running and calling out to Jordan, who was underneath Larry's falling bulk. He remembered shoving his creator out of the way, only for his arm to get crushed instead. He remembered the basketball Larry had thrown going through the net and falling upon his left eye, bending it out of shape. He remembered Jordan's disappointed words.

_"Aw man! We lost!"_

These words continued to echo in Wilt's mind till he shook his head and returned to the present.

"I had made a sacrifice. I couldn't let my kid get hurt."

"So you saved him because you had put his safety before victory. Wilt, that isn't what being an Imaginary Friend is all about! It is your duty to protect your creator as much as it is theirs. And that is exactly what you had done! So what if you had lost the game. That boy and his Friend may have won, but they didn't win the greatest prize of all: a close bond. Wilt, dear, you should not have let disappointment get to you. That loss would have just brought you two together even closer than you were before."

"But, the game was the most important one of all to him!" Wilt started to protest, but Madame Foster held up her cane, silencing him.

"I'm positive that you were more important to him than a silly ol' game, Wilt. But you failed to see that. Now that boy has gone and lost his best friend. How do you think he feels now?"

Wilt's heart sunk. He placed his hand over his eye. "Oh, no! You're right! How could I be so stupid? Jordan is probably really miserable now. How could I do that to him?"

Madame Foster jumped off the chair she was in and patted Wilt's leg. "Like I said before, one mistake does not define who you are, and two doesn't either. Now, I believe we are finished here. Why don't you go on and wash up before bed? Tomorrow, I'll whip up some delicious drizzle drench toast for breakfast!"

"Wait, does that mean…" Wilt's jaw dropped open, his eye widening.

"Welcome home, Wilt." Madame Foster hugged his leg.

Tears welled up in Wilt's eyes. He wrapped a long arm around the little woman's shoulders, returning the hug.

"Thank you, Madame Foster."

The Madame just giggled and bid him a good night. Wilt left, feeling much more optimistic. He promised himself that he would always keep Madame Foster's advice in his mind and to always look on the bright side of things. He wondered where Coco and Eduardo were. He owed them a huge apology for running off so suddenly like that. For the first time since being with his kid, Wilt put on a humongous toothy smile and headed off with a happy gait. Yeah, this new life sounded even better than before

* * *

**TBC...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the long wait, I've been procrastinating and drawing a lot lately. But I still hope that you're enjoying what I have so far. I have been going over different ideas for a few more chapters and will get them down over time, so please be patient!**

**I had also went back and made a minor fix in the first chapter so that the timeline would make more sense in accordance to Frankie's age and how long Foster's has been up in running. But keep in mind that I made it so that Frankie had been living in the house before Wilt instead of the other away around :)**

**I never realize how long I really make these chapters until I'm half-way done XD This one took up 8 and a half pages :P I guess that's a good thing, though right?**

**Anyways, enjoy this late installment :) I'll be working on the rest over time, so bear with me.**

_**Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: **_**(C) Craig McCracken, Lauren Faust, and Cartoon Network.**

* * *

Wilt was up bright and early the next day, determined to start it off with an optimistic attitude, just like what he promised himself to do every morning. He headed towards the stairs that would take him to the foyer where he would enter the dining hall so he could eat breakfast. As he strolled along, young Frankie exited her room a few feet ahead of him. He chuckled fondly at the sight of her; she was half-asleep and had bedraggled red hair that would have hung just above her shoulders had it not been sticking up in spikes. Frankie yawned as she made her way towards the bathroom, which was located in the direction Wilt had been coming from. She nearly collided with his towering legs since she was too tired to pay attention to where she was going. Luckily Wilt had been attentive and stepped to the side just in time.

"Morning, Frankie!" Wilt greeted warmly, flashing a broad grin and a wave at the child's way. But it went unnoticed by the girl, who continued on, basically sleep-walking at this point. Wilt decided that he should wake her up fully before she ran into a wall or fell down the stairs. He thanked Jordan for giving him long legs that he used to catch up to Frankie with. He knelt down in front of her, using his long arm to block her way.

"Aagh!" Frankie yelped as she walked right into it, jumping back and swatting at the air, her sleepy mind having perceived Wilt's arm as a spiderweb.

"Sorry, sorry!" Wilt exclaimed, bolting to his feet as he realized that his attempt not only snapped Frankie out of her drowsy state, but also scared her half to death.

"Oh, hi Wilt!" Frankie relaxed when she realized that it wasn't a spiderweb she had ran into but just the tall Friend who gazed down at her with an apologetic and worried gaze.

"Um, good morning, Frankie. Wow, I'm so sorry! You okay?"

Frankie giggled as she replied, "of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, it's just that you look so exhausted. Didn't you get enough sleep? Maybe you should go back to bed."

Frankie yawned widely as she shook her head. "No, I'm fine, really. I got the supposed 8 hours that I need. I just have to get used to waking up at 7 am everyday. Mr. Hewwiman is just twaining me for when I have go back to school next month and for also when I start working here when I get older." Frankie rolled her eyes at the last bit. "He's gonna be an even bigger meanie pants, I just know it."

Wilt chuckled, kneeling back down to affectionately ruffle her hair. "Aw, he can't be that bad."

"You've only been here for half a day, give it time."

Frankie then made her way into the bathroom and shut the door, leaving Wilt alone in the hallway. He laughed softly to himself, shook his head and continued on towards his destination.

***~*~*FHIF*~*~***

"Now, Miss Francis," Mr. Herriman was saying as he led the young girl into the backyard and down a pathway. "I believe that you are old enough now to uphold this rather important task. These Friends need to be cared for as much as any of the others taking up residence here."

Frankie jumped as she heard a roar resonate through the air. Ahead she could see the ominous black cube coming into view. It housed Foster's most deadly Imaginary Friends, the Extremeasaurs. These Friends were about as nasty as they looked, having been created by rambunctious teenage boys and, in rare cases, small children. Extremeasaurs were often brutes who were mostly created for fighting purposes only, meaning that they lived for destruction and chaos but weren't all that intelligent, so they could be outwitted quite easily. The only problem was that no one was brave enough to get close enough to even try, lest they wanted to be eaten alive.

"Mr. Hewwiman, do I really have to do this?" Frankie whimpered, yelping when another roar sounded. She was walking on trembling legs by now and she nervously fidgeted with the slabs of steaks she was holding in her arms.

Mr. Herriman sighed and looked down at his young charge. "I'm afraid so, Miss Francis. Madame Foster is becoming too timeworn to continue with this duty and I, myself, have far too much to do already. Besides, if you're to take up the duties of caretaker in the next ten years, then it is best if you start your training early."

"That's so stupid," Frankie grumbled but continued following the rabbit anyways.

They stopped in front of the door to the cage. Heavy black chains attached to a giant padlock wrapped around the cage and secured it to the ground at its four corners, though it occasionally would lift up a few inches and slam against the ground from the Extremeasaurs rampaging about inside.

"Right, Miss Francis. You have your instructions. I should trust that you can handle this yourself without any tomfoolery?" Mr. Herriman said, handing Frankie the key to the door.

"What?!" Frankie exclaimed, turning to Mr. Herriman as he was starting to hop away. "Y-you're just gonna leave a four year old to do this by herself?!"

"It's a rather simple job, young lady. I do not need to be around to make sure that it gets done, now do I?" Herriman replied, placing his hands on his hips and raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"B-but, what if they attack me?"

"I dare say, Miss Francis. These Friends wouldn't dare attack unless they want a strict punishment. I have them well disciplined."  
"Sure you do," Frankie scoffed, rolling her eyes and wincing as the cage crashed against the ground once more. "They sound like it."

"I told you so. Now, I'm off!" Mr. Herriman then hopped away before Frankie could say anything more.

Frankie whimpered, dropping the steaks on the ground as she glanced up at the black box that continued to spew out fear-provoking roars, growls, and other incoherent noises. The young girl took a deep breath, swallowed her fear and picked up one of the steaks.

"Let's just get this over with, Frankie," she muttered to herself as she put the key into the lock. "What can go wrong?"

***~*~*FHIF*~*~***

Coco entered the kitchen with some dirty dishes in her beak, heading towards the sink to wash them. It was her turn to clear off the breakfast table for the week. The amalgamated Friend didn't really mind this job, not when it meant that she could play in the detergent bubbles. Even though Herriman had forbidden her from messing around while doing her chores because she had always managed to make an even bigger mess, Coco had trouble resisting the urge to not play in the frothy foam.

She was just thinking about how much detergent she would need to make a nice foamy mountain that she could jump into when a high-pitched shriek startled her. The dishes dropped from her beak as she let out an alarmed squawk. They shattered on contact with the linoleum floor, but Coco heeded them no attention as she hurried to the back door, opening it and stepping out onto the back porch. She gasped as she saw that the door to the Extremeasaur cage was shut. She could see a pile of uncooked steaks on the ground in front of it and a ring of keys next to them, having been knocked out of the keyhole by the constant pounding on the cage's interior walls. Apparently someone had tried to feed those brutal monsters and now was in big trouble.

"Help!" Coco recognized the shrill scream that cried out. It was Frankie! But what was she doing near the Extremeasaur cage? Coco figured that she could find out later, just as soon as she found someone that would help her rescue the poor girl.

The bird/airplane/plant Friend then ran off through the house, squawking in alarm, hoping someone would be willing to help her save the distressed Frankie from a terrible fate. Luckily, as she was passing the laundry room, Wilt and Eduardo had seen and heard her. The Friends hurried out of the room and called out to their roommate, who stopped and ran back to them. She continued to rapidly speak in her two syllabled language. Wilt and Eduardo tried their best to decipher their friend's odd speech, especially since she was speaking at a much faster rate than usual. Wilt still had some practice to do, but he thought he was able to pick out a few words.

"Who fell into a well?" Wilt questioned, his good eye screwed up in confusion. Okay, so maybe he still needed a bit more work.

"Coco cococococo!" Coco was jumping up and down frantically and pointing in the direction of the backyard.. "Cocococococococo COCO!"

"Uhhh…" was Eduardo's only response. Even he, who had known the bird Friend longer, was unable to understand Coco's rapid talking.

Coco growled in frustration. They were wasting precious time! She resorted to just grabbing hold of Wilt's wristband in her beak, tugging him in the direction she had been indicating.

"Whoa! Okay, okay! I'm coming. C'mon, Ed." Wilt said to his Latino comrade who followed soon after.

It didn't take long for them to hear Frankie's terrified yells for help that were soon accompanied by loud, angry roars.

"Oh no!" Wilt gasped. "Frankie! Where is she?!"

"Co co Cococococo co!"

"_¡Ay, caramba! _The Extremeasaurs cage?!" Eduardo yelped.

"Co!"

"What is she doing in there?" Wilt demanded to know.

"Co co co." Coco responded with a shrug.

The three friends picked up their pace as another shout for help called out. Soon they were outside the cage. Coco ran around in a panic as Eduardo started crying in one spot, unsure of what he could do. Wilt frantically thought of a plan, but his worry towards the little girl and his friends freaking out was making it hard for him to concentrate.

"Hang on, Frankie! We're gonna save you! Just hide somewhere!" Wilt called to her, hoping that could buy them some time.

Frankie's tiny voice called out to him, dripping with terror. "W-Wilt! There's nowhere to hide in here! Th-there's Extwemosawrs everywhere! Aaah! Leave me alone! Help!" Frankie then went silent, which worried Wilt even more.

"Ooohh, this is so NOT okay!" Wilt chewed on his lip in thought. His eye wandered down to the discarded raw steaks and the key on the ground. An idea struck him.

"Eduardo! Coco! I have an idea!" Wilt exclaimed to his roommates, who immediately stopped their running and crying to listen to him.

"Coco, do you think you can run around with these steaks to distract the Extremeasaurs?"

"Coco!" Coco saluted him before she laid a yellow plastic egg, out of which came a skateboard and helmet. She next laid an orange one which held a fishing pole. She attached a steak to the hook and put the rest on her back.

"Great! Now Ed, while Coco is keeping the Extremeasaurs at bay, you and I will be looking for Frankie. We have to be brave and calm so she won't freak out anymore and attract them back to her, got it?"

"I…I…I can't!" Eduardo whined. To prove his point, he started quivering. Wilt laid a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him in a calm but stern tone. "Please, Ed! This is _reeeeallly_ important! You need to be brave! If you can't do it for yourself, do it for Frankie! She's in there alone with those things and she is most likely scared and very helpless! Those Friends only know and care about fighting and hurting others, so if we don't go in there and save Frankie, she could get severely injured or even worse."

"Eep! Worse?" Eduardo repeated.

Wilt nodded solemnly.

"Oh no! We must rescue Senorita Frankie! _Vamos, prisa!_"

Wilt smiled, relieved to have finally gotten through the timid Friend and made him realize how grave this situation really was. Wilt mentally winced at the poor choice of word but quickly forgot about it as he snatched the keys from the ground and ran towards the door.

"Get ready, Coco!" Wilt hollered, unlocking the door. He then opened it, which was Coco's cue to skateboard inside.

"Co cococo!" Wilt heard her say in a provocative tone. He then heard roars, screeches and heavy thudding as the Extremeasaurs started to chase Coco and the bait around, or at least he hoped.

"Okay, Eduardo! Let's go!" Wilt led the way in, the Spanish Friend tiptoeing close behind.

"Frankie?" Wilt called out in a stage whisper. "Where are you?"

He stopped as he heard a faint whimper. Wilt looked around, struggling to see through the dim interior, the only source of light being the thin beams of sunlight streaming in through the windows. He saw the shadowy masses of the Extremeasaurs Coco was distracting off in one corner of the cage, preoccupied with chowing down on what Wilt prayed was the steaks. He looked to the opposite side of the cage saw that a few of the monstrous Friends hadn't at all been interested in what had been going on and, instead, were just snoozing away. It was then when Wilt noticed a small, fiery haired figure trapped in the arm of a sleeping black scaled, dragon-like Extremeasaur; his protruding, sharp fangs just inches away from the poor girl, who was eyeing them with trepidation.

"Whoa," Wilt whispered, carefully approaching his trapped friend, desperately hoping that the squeaking of his trademark high-tops wouldn't be enough to give them away. "Don't worry, Frankie. We'll get you out of here soon. Ed!" Wilt quietly called to him. Eduardo gulped and made his way over to him.

"Si, Señor Wilt?"

Wilt pointed to the arm that held onto Frankie as if she were a teddy bear. "Do you think you can lift his arm up carefully so I can grab Frankie?"

"Uhhh…" Eduardo hesitated but when he glanced down at the young girl and saw just how scared stiff she looked and how she had been crying for a while, he became more courageous and determined. He furrowed his eyebrow and nodded.

"Sí! I can!"

Eduardo was careful to step over the Extremeasaur's tail that was in front of him. He quietly approached him and grasped his arm in a firm but careful grip. He froze as the Extremeasaur grunted and looked over to make sure the dangerous Friend was still asleep. He sighed in relief when he saw that it was safe to continue lifting his arm off of Frankie. It was a slow process because the arm was heavier than Eduardo expected and he wasn't sure that his bravery and strength were going to hold out any longer. He looked down at Frankie and gave her a reassuring smile and wink to ease her fear. He was rewarded with a small smile and a nod. Things were going smoothly so far. They might just make it! Wilt kneeled down and was now reaching out towards Frankie with a gentle hand.

"Hey there, sweetie. It's okay. Don't worry. We'll have you out of here in no time. Shhh."

Wilt had just gotten his winding arm wrapped securely around Frankie's small waist when a harsh holler echoed through the cage.

"Miss Francis! Where are you, you lazy girl? Ugh, I should've known this task would just give you an excuse to run off to do whatever you please. Miss Francis! When I find you, you are grounded!"

Unfortunately, Herriman's tirade had not only caught the attention of the Extremeasaurs that Coco was keeping at bay, but had also awoken the remaining sleeping ones, not excluding the one that Wilt and Eduardo had been saving Frankie from. The dragon-like Friend awoke to his prize being taken away and growled, his pupil narrowing into a thin slit as his mouth drew back into a snarl, revealing more of his dangerously sharp teeth..

"Uh-oh," Wilt gulped. He protectively held Frankie closer to his chest, slowly backing away.

"This es muy mal!" Eduardo yelped, joining him.

The dragon Extremeasaur stood up on his four tree-trunk-like legs, the silver claws on each foot gleaming in the beams of sunlight. He then extended his bat-like wings as wide as he could, which gave him a much larger and menacing appearance. He looked down at Wilt, Eduardo, and Frankie, opened his mouth, and let out the most deafening and chilling roar the three of them have ever heard. It was then when the other Extremeasaurs caught onto what was happening and turned to surround them. Coco ran past them to join her friends as they huddled together.

"What do we do now?!" Eduardo sobbed, looking around in fear.

Wilt looked around as well and saw that there was a gap in between two Extremeasaurs that looked big enough to allow even Eduardo's bulk to squeeze through.

Wilt knelt down beside the purple Friend. "Ed! You see that opening?"

Eduardo looked to where Wilt was pointing and nodded. "Eh, sí! Why?"

The Latino Imaginary Friend suddenly found himself holding Frankie.

"You and Coco take Frankie and get out of here! The door is just beyond those two Extremeasaurs! Run to the house, stay inside and I'll join you as soon as I can! Got it?"

"No!" Frankie cried, grabbing hold of Wilt's hand, desperate for him to come with them. "We can't leave you here! They'll destwoy you!"

Wilt gave Frankie a comforting pat on the head and a warm smile.

"Don't you worry, Frankie. I promise you that I will be okay. I'm more worried about you.

"But, aren't you afwaid?"

"Of course I am, but you know something?"

"What?"

Wilt stroked her hair as he smiled warmly and looked her straight in the eyes. "It's okay to be scared because being brave isn't about having no fear; it's about doing important and sometimes dangerous things, despite the fact that you're scared! After all, doing dangerous things without being afraid is just plain dumb, am I right?" Wilt playfully nudged the little girl, eliciting a tiny giggle from her. "Just keep that in mind and I'm sure it'll come in handy for next time you need to be brave. Got it?"

"Y-yes."

The growl of an Extremeasaur snapped them back to the present and the current situation. Wilt knew it was time to react.

"Ed, Coco, run, now!" Wilt shoved his two friends towards the opening he had seen.

A few seconds later, Eduardo and Coco flew out of the cage, just before the door slammed shut. They fell hard on the grass with Eduardo holding Frankie up in the air so that she didn't get hurt by their harsh landing. Unfortunately, they had fallen in front of an irate Mr. Herriman, who stood before them, arms crossed over his chest and eyebrows furrowed in anger. He was fixing them with an icy glare as well.

"Miss Francis! There you are! How dare you shirk on your chores to play with Masters Eduardo and Wilt and Miss Coco, just as I had predicted you would! Have you nothing to say about your juvenile behavior?"

"Mr. Hewwiman!" Frankie cried, ignoring the rabbit's berating of her. She grabbed hold of his tuxedo jacket and attempted to tug him to the cage. "Mr. Hewwiman! You have to help us! Wilt got trapped inside the Extwemosawr cage!

"What?!" Herriman's eyes widened in shock. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"No! We be telling the truth, we promise!" Eduardo insisted. "But we must help Señor Wilt! _Rapido_!"

"Where are the keys?" Herriman asked, hopping to the door but not seeing them in the keyhole.

There was an awkward pause as Eduardo, Coco, and Frankie realized what was wrong.

"Ay, ay, ay! Señor Wilt has them!" Eduardo yelled, throwing his arms up in a panic.

"And my spare key is among them!" Herriman cried.

"What?! Why would you put your spare key with the others?!" Frankie exclaimed, grabbing her pigtails in frustration. "The point of a spare key is to have it in case you lose the original!"

"Oh, please, Miss Francis. I put the spare key on the key ring with the others so that I would simply not misplace it. It was the logical thing to do."

"Oh yeah? So why don't you go unlock the door, then?"

"Alright, I shall." It was just as Mr. Herriman was reaching for the handle that he realized that he had just been duped by the four-year old and had also realized his mistake. He pounded on the door and placed one of his long rabbit ears against the steel door.

"Master Wilt! Are you in there?"

There was no response except for the continuous piercing shrieks and roars from the Extremeasaurs and the occasional thuds of the cage pounding against the ground.

Frankie ran to the front side of the cage and wearily called up to the barred window near the top.

"Wilt! Are you okay? Wilt?"

Still no response.

Coco, Eduardo, and Mr. Herriman joined Frankie, all looking extremely worried for their new friend.

Just then, something small and rectangular flew out of the window and dropped to the ground.

Frankie cautiously approached the object, unsure of what it was. But as she got closer, she realized what had fallen out of the window and gasped in horror, picking it up in her trembling hands.

It was Wilt's single red-white-and-blue wristband.

* * *

**TBC...**

**P.S. Wilt's brave speech was based on the one Frankie gave Eduardo in _Destination Imagination_, which I had been watching while typing that part up :P**

**Also, I hope this chapter was alright. I'm not much of a strategist or plan-devising person :P And who knows if Herriman would really make a four year old take on the task of feeding an Extremeasaur, but it could have been possible, knowing how illogical he can be sometimes.**


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